


Saccharine

by Pennstram



Series: Omega verse [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Fluff, M/M, Omega Merlin (Merlin), Omega Verse, Original Character(s), Pre-Relationship, Straight up fluff, This was literally just an excuse to write Momma!Merlin, but also not?, like... they were together, than not, then getting back together?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25745155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pennstram/pseuds/Pennstram
Summary: It'd been four years since Arthur last saw him.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Omega verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897339
Comments: 10
Kudos: 367





	Saccharine

It was late in the day, and Arthur was helping a small group of teenagers when he saw him again. Well, that wasn’t quite right. The tiny bell above the cafe door chimed and Arthur threw a soft good afternoon over his shoulder without looking at the newcomers as he turned to make the 3 lattes asked for. “Oh, isn’t she just the cutest!” One of the beta teens gushed behind him, her other friends agreed quickly, the smallest, omega by the soft lavender scent coming from her, cooed. Wistfully mentioning she couldn’t wait to have one of her own.

An omega and a young child then, Arthur assumed with a quick sniff. The honeyed pine pulled at a buried memory but he couldn’t place from where. That is, until he picked up the cups and turned back to the three and his eyes caught dark hair, bright blue eyes and a brilliant smile, and suddenly he did. Faltering slightly he set the lattes down and flashed an easy smile as they said their thanks and left. Making small waving motions and soft smiles toward the child and her mother on the way out.

Heart beating wildly he straightened up as the omega approached the counter, the small child on his hip staring at the cookie display with wondrous blue eyes. Arthur knew the second Merlin recognized him, whether by sight or smell he wasn’t sure but suddenly his expression became guarded and his hold shifted ever so slightly on the little girl. “Arthur.” It was said softly and the alpha knew he was struggling just as bad as Arthur himself.

“I have a cookie mummy?” Arthur couldn’t help the soft smile and the fuzzy feeling in his stomach as Merlin turned to his daughter, a gentle smile slipping back into place. Merlin tsked a couple times as he bopped her nose with his pointer finger before nuzzling her cheek.

“We have cookies at home, my love.” The girl giggled, a bright happy sound that made Arthur’s heart melt. Then Merlin was turning back to him and with that same smile in place spoke to Arthur, “Small mocha and a chocolate milk.” Arthur nodded numbly, ringing it up before quickly turning away to start Merlin’s drink, his face burning. Four years. It’d been four years since they’d seen each other last. Four years since Arthur made him le-- he couldn’t think about it. Behind him he heard the tiny girl beg to be put down, he could hear the disapproval in Merlin’s voice but the sound of small feet clacking on the polished tiles told him the girl won in the end.

He heard the hands hit the glass and the happy voice rang out again, “Please mummy, please?” Arthur pulled the finished mocha toward himself and topped it with whipped cream and extra chocolate with a smile. He knew Merlin, he knew the man had an awful sweet tooth. She had inherited it just the same it seemed. Arthur turned back just as the omega crouched down next to his daughter with a snarky expression Arthur knew all too well. He couldn’t hear what was said but the pout she gave in reply said enough.

“She’s beautiful.” Arthur said softly before he could stop himself and Merlin visibly startled as he glanced up quickly. He shot Arthur a tentative smile as he stood up, one hand ruffling the girls dusty brown hair. She started to complain then stopped instantly as she noticed the milk Arthur held out to her. Her eyes lit up and she rushed over to take it from him with both hands. Sun warmed vanilla hit his senses as her happiness flooded her scent. True he hadn’t meant to say it, it wasn’t proper for an alpha to comment such a thing but as he watched her scamper away to look at the sugary treats again he had to admit it was true.

Merlin took the cup from him with a warm smile, Arthur felt his mouth run dry. “She yours?” He was grasping at straws, he knew it, and he knew Merlin knew it. Yet the dark haired omega just nodded slightly, eyes trailing over to the girl. It was a familiar warm look he used to give Arthur and it made the alpha’s heart ache. Merlin didn’t say anything though and Arthur couldn’t help it as he blurted, “You married then.” The pine tint to Merlin’s scent grew sharp and his eyes flashed over to Arthur before quickly darting away. His jaw tightened and his fingers tapped restlessly on the cup. His daughter stopped suddenly, mouth open just so as she sniffed the air. She looked over no doubt smelling Merlin’s tension, her brows furrowed at her mother’s sudden mood shift.

Pushing away from the glass she waddled over to Merlin and held up her tiny hands, chocolate milk tipping dangerously in the process. A slight honey smell permeated the pine as Merlin seemed to relax as he picked her up. It was when she buried her nose in the side of his neck, the vanilla mixing with a soft chamomile strong enough to reach Arthur, that Merlin finally spoke again, “Yes, she is my daughter. But… no. I never married.”

There was a tense moment where Merlin’s eyes dared Arthur to ask the question they both knew he would. The alpha knew better. He really did, but the challenge in Merlin’s eyes kept him from keeping quiet. What he asked though made Merlin blink in surprise, “Can she…?” He nodded slightly to the bowl of suckers on the counter top. Another few blinks and then he nodded. Arthur smiled and picked up the bowl, “Would you like a candy, sweet child?” He asked, voice gentle and soothing as she turned to look at him from where she was still hidden in Merlin’s neck.

Her eyes caught the suckers and she squealed, twisting and turning as she tried to get Merlin to let her down. He did with a muted chuckle and she instantly grabbed the bowl and sat on the floor, tiny hands digging to the very bottom. With her attention away from them Arthur turned back to Merlin. “He didn’t want to claim her? You?” Arthur expected the pine to take over again but it didn’t. Merlin merely took another drink and stared at the counter, a slight wistful look on his face. He didn’t look angry, or overtly upset. He just looked… sad, nostalgic.

“He doesn’t know.” Merlin looked down at the girl, still determinedly digging though the sugary sweets, clearly searching for something specific. “He didn’t know.”

“Look, Merlin, about back then…”

“I know.” They lapsed into silence after that, the only noise the sounds of plastic wrappers and wooden sticks occasionally hitting the glass bowl. “We were young. We were stupid and didn’t think about anything other than eachother. You’re father was right. We needed a break, to find ourselves before we got lost in us.” The words fell heavy between them and Arthur felt sick, because Merlin was right. It still stung every time he remembered that night he told Merlin to leave though. Still tasted the bitter disappointment in the air.

Merlin finally looked back up, his expression guarded, and scent carefully masked. “I never meant for you to leave forever.” Arthur admitted finally, gaze slipping away without waiting for a reply. It rested on the girl on the floor, all the suckers were out of the now empty bowl and she had a wide grin as she pulled the wrapper off a green one. He couldn’t help but smile. “I like the green ones best too.” She turned that wide grin up to him and her blue eyes sparkled.

“Make sure to pick the others back up, my love.” Merlin told her quietly, eyes still on Arthur’s face. The strong honey smell Arthur remembered from highschool flooded his senses as Merlin let his guard down and he smiled at the omega. Merlin picked a pen up out of the cup by the napkins and pulled Arthur’s hand over without breaking eye contact. Finally he lowered his eyes and slowly, deliberately, wrote numbers out on Arthur’s forearm. Merlin hesitated for just a second before adding a small heart next to the ‘M’. “I need to be getting her home…” He started, loosening his grasp and letting his hands slide down Arthur’s arm. “Call me sometime? To catch up?”

Arthur didn’t miss the hopeful note to his voice or the sweet affection coloring his scent, an affection he let mirror in his own. “It’s a date.” He replied, letting his fingers linger on Merlin’s hands before they dropped away completely. “I guess I should thank them for not snatching you up.” It was offhanded and Arthur honestly expected Merlin to take it all back. To walk away again. To take his daughter and leave Arthur’s life once more. He didn’t expect the amusement in those blue eyes. Didn’t expect the bright pine and honey.

“I’m not so sure he hasn’t.” The words confused Arthur. He opened his mouth to question it but couldn’t find the right way to phrase it. Merlin was clearly flirting. He clearly still cared. So why did it sound like he already let some other alpha or beta steal his heart away? Why would he give Arthur this hope if he was already spoken for? Why would he… Chamomile washed over him and he glanced down at the little girl who was setting the bowl of suckers back on the counter. Her strikingly familiar eyes kept Arthur’s attention.

It was such a subtle smell Arthur was surprised he even picked up on it at all. It, mixed with the warm vanilla, was so comforting, calming. It smelled of home. It reminded him of his own mother before she died. It was like small puzzle pieces were falling into place and as he looked up into Merlin’s eyes he knew. The warmth, the love, the devotion. It was all still there. Merlin’s eyes flickered down to his daughter and gave Arthur one more soft parting smile. “Come now, darling. Momma’s getting tired, and it’s almost your bedtime.” The girl nodded slowly and smiled around the thumb in her mouth as Merlin picked her up.

She leaned into her mother and closed her eyes as Merlin pressed a kiss to her temple. “I look forward to hearing from you soon, Arthur.” He muttered, voice saturated with affection as he picked up the rest of his mocha and turned to leave. It wasn’t until the two reached the door that Arthur finally found his voice and blurted,

“What’s her name?”

Merlin glanced over his shoulder and smiled fondly back, “Ygraine.” Then he was gone with the chime of the bell and Arthur’s whole body tingled with a rush of warmth. Just like that the last piece snapped into place.

Oh.

_Oh._


End file.
